Casual Conversations
by Kylara Kitsune
Summary: If Rikku's like a rainbow, I'm like a storm cloud.
1. Heaven Is

**AN: A new venture for me - Final Fantasy X2. It's Rikku/Paine, and the prompt is number 7 - "Heaven". Just realised that rhymes - it wasn't intentional.**

The vast majority of Spira follows the teachings of Yevon, which says that when you die, and a Summoner, such as my cousin, Yuna, performs the sending, your soul goes to the Farplane. The Farplane is, supposedly, some kind of heavenly afterlife, but nobody knows for sure, because they can't exactly ask the dead. Well, you can ask, but they won't answer.

Since I'm Al Bhed, I wasn't brought up to follow Yevon, and don't believe in the afterlife. I know where the entrance to the Farplance is, but I can't cross it. It's a mental block I have. Yuna goes there frequently, but won't talk about it much. All she says is that her parents are together again, in this heavenly eternal existence.

Great as it sounds, it isn't enough for me to follow the teachings. I'm not the only member of the Gullwings to think like this, though. Paine is even more sceptical than I am. Then again, she usually is.

"If Yevon is so wonderful, why do the teachings condemn so many things?"

"You'll have to ask Yuna."

"Ever heard of a rhetorical question, Rikku?"

Paine's our resident tough girl, and she's snarky with it. Not that I's have it any other way. She just wouldn't be Paine without the major attitude problem.

Yuna's gone to the Farplane again, leaving the two of us alone on the airship. Well, we weren't alone to begin with, but we invented a long, complicated errand for Brother and the rest of the crew, which pretty much guarantees us the day alone. Just what we wanted, to create our own personal version of heaven. While still being very much alive.

Heaven, for me, is lying in Paine's arms, kissing, cuddling and generally teasing each other into excitement. Heaven, for me, is hearing her call my name, and knowing I've caused the pleasure she's feeling. Heaven, for me, is having her reciprocate the actions because she wants to, not because she feels she has to. It's those whispered words, so hushed I almost don't hear them, and knowing that the stoic Paine, is as badly affected by this rush of emotion as I am. It's getting caught up in the heat of the moment, not caring about tomorrow.

Heaven, for me, is being in love with Paine, and having her love me in return.

**AN: I think it's quite sweet and fluffy, actually. What do you think? Click the review button and let me know.**


	2. Hypnotic

**AN: This wasn't going to be a series. However, since the ideas wouldn't get out of my head, and they're really short, I've made this into a collection of Rikku/Paine one-shots. This one is based on prompt 85- "spiral", and is titled "Hypnotic."**

The first thing you notice about Rikku is probably her dress sense. It's very... unique, if that's the right word. Lots of bright colours, that kind of thing. Then you'd notice either her unruly blonde hair or her exuberant personality. She's possibly the most lively, excitable person I've ever met - full of enthusiasm for everything (except crossing the Thunder Plains, but that's something we don't mention).

You'd never guess she was Al Bhed, at least not until you looked into her eyes. They're green, but they don't have normal pupils. Where most people just have a black circle, Rikku has spirals of black and green. The first time I looked into her eyes, I felt as though I was drowning in them. It's hypnotic, I couldn't look away, no matter how hard I tried. That was the moment I knew - she'd captured my heart and soul, and she wasn't going to let them go. I didn't want her to let go.

Her brother has the same eyes, as does her uncle, but they don't make my head spin. That dubious honour is reserved for Rikku, and Rikku alone.

Even now, when we've been together for months, I still get lost in those swirling, spiralling eyes of hers. As long as that happens, I know that she's still mine, and I'm happy.

**AN: I want to be in love like that.**


	3. Starlit Nights

**AN: Prompt 34 - "Stars".**

When we can, we sit on the deck of the airship at night and watch the stars. Sometimes we tell each other tales of our past, or rather, I do. Paine's never said much about what she did before joining the Gullwings - I get the impression she's not particularly proud of it. So I tell her stories, of how we stood on this very deck and fought Sin, how we sang the Hymn of the Fayth to calm him, all the places we visited on the pilgrimage, and so on. It's peaceful, calm. Just as life should be, during the years of the Calm that Yuna brought.

Speaking of Yuna, she knows we come up here often, but she thinks we get up to all sorts of unmentionable things. We don't. That's reserved strictly for Paine's bedroom on board this airship. We've kissed, that's all. I don't want to get carried away and fall off the side. Usually, we bring a couple of blankets out, wrap them around us as we curl up together and just talk for hours.

Tonight, it's cloudy - I can't see the stars or the moon. That means we'll stay inside, take refuge in Paine's room, and she teases me mercilessly. I complain about it, but she doesn't listen, and I love her for it. Her eyes shine like the stars when she does that, and she's just as beautiful as the starlit nights.

**AN: Nothing more than a pointless ramble that insisted it be written down.**


	4. Rainbow

**AN: Prompt 18 - rainbow.**

I stare out of the viewport in my bedroom on board the airship, not really paying any attention to what I'm seeing. Rikku, along with most of the crew, has gone to the blitzball game at Luca stadium. In fact, I think I'm the only person still aboard. It makes a change, being alone. I'm not really used to it, not now. Rikku is usually with me. The rainbow in the sky, over the stadium, reminds me of her. Bright, colourful, exuberant. Anybody who had known me before would be laughing their heads off at the way I've fallen head over heels for the bubbly blonde, because we're complete opposites. If she's a rainbow, I'm more like a storm cloud, dark and moody.

Still, you can't have a rainbow without the rain. We need each other, rely on each other. When she's gone, I'm somewhat lost, somehow bereft. But I know she'll be back.


	5. Blitzball

**AN: Prompt 51 - "sport".**

"I never did see the point of this ridiculous game. It's a bunch of people chasing a ball around an oversized sphere full of water."

Rikku looked wearily at Paine. "It's blitzball. The Besaid Aurochs are doing well in the league for the first time in years, and we should be there to support them."

"You mean you're not supporting the Al Bhed... whatever they're called?"

"Psyches. And no, I'm not. Wakka's a friend, I'm supporting his team."

Paine opened her mouth to protest some more, but the words died, unspoken, at a glare from Rikku. "It's just the one match, that's all. You can cope with that, can't you?" The correct answer was clearly meant to be "yes". Paine, not wanting to admit defeat, muttered it under her breath, allowing Rikku to lead her into the blitzball stadium.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was, by anybody's standards, an exciting match. Rikku cheered and yelled every time the Aurochs scored, and booed loudly when the Al Bhed Psyches scored. Paine was far more restrained, as was her nature, and simply applauded. The final score was ten-seven to the Aurochs. When she'd finished cheering, Rikku grabbed Paine and kissed her fiercely, completely ignoring the fact that they were in a public place with hundreds of other people around. Paine returned the kiss with equal fervour, tangling one hand in Rikku's messy blonde braids.

"Don't tell me that wasn't worth coming to watch." Rikku's green, spiralling eyes seemed to pierce straight through Paine's brash exterior.

"I'll happily sit through any number of matches if you kiss me like that every time."

Rikku laughed. "I might hold you to that."


End file.
